Meta's $10 billion Texas data center to run solely on natural gas

Meta has moved ahead with its $10 billion, 1‑gigawatt data center in northeast El Paso, Texas, after state officials paused new data‑center permits. The company signed tax‑abatement agreements with the city, cleared regulatory hurdles and began construction before the pause was announced. The project will rely on natural‑gas generators for power, not renewable sources.

The pause follows a 2021 Texas power crisis that left millions without electricity during a winter storm. State regulators and environmental groups raised concerns that large data centers could strain the grid and increase greenhouse‑gas emissions. Texas’s energy market is heavily dependent on gas and coal, and the state has no mandatory renewable‑energy targets. Critics argue that Meta’s choice of gas fuels the very climate problems that the pause was meant to address.

Local officials say the project will create jobs and bring tax revenue to the area. Meta says it will use the latest energy‑efficient hardware and will offset emissions with carbon credits. Environmental groups say the project could add 70 million tonnes of CO₂ over its lifetime, undermining Texas’s climate goals. The state’s Energy Conservation Office is reviewing the project’s environmental impact, while the Texas Public Utility Commission is considering whether to lift the pause on new permits.

If the pause is lifted, Texas could see more data‑center projects that rely on fossil fuels, raising questions about the state’s energy future. The decision will also affect the national debate over data‑center emissions and the role of tech companies in climate policy. Stakeholders will watch how the state balances economic growth with environmental protection in the coming months.